Truth Revealed
by Hardyzandlitarule
Summary: Picks up after "Vacation" - The truth is revealed - *complete*
1. Chapter I

**TRUTH REVEALED**

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor do I claim to own, the rights to any Mutant X characters. They are owned by Tribune Entertainment Co. No copyright infringement is intended.

This story picks up where "Vacation" left off. Please read that before reading this one.

Rating: R for violence and language

***

Shalimar laid in her bed watching TV. It had been a few weeks since she'd been shot and Adam was keeping a close eye on her by making her stay in her room. 

Boredem got the best of her and she took a walk down to the rec room to see if anyone was around.

Finding the room empty, she headed for Adam's office.

Just as she rounded the corner, Adam ran right into her.

"Shalimar!" he said, surprised to see her. He grabbed onto her arm, "Are you okay? I didn't see you coming."

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"Wha-why are you up? Is everything okay? Are you in pain?"

"Adam, I'm fine. I'm just bored out of my mind. I just thought I'd see what everyone was up to." She smiled at him, hoping he'd give her something to do.

"I'm actually on my way out but I was going to stop by to see you. I'll be gone for most of the day. Do you need anything before I go?"

"No, I'm fine. Thanks though."

"Okay. Let's get you back to your room then." Adam looked at his watch, "I'm so late, they're going to kill me."

Shalimar stopped walking and turned to him, "You don't have to walk me back to my room, I'm a big girl. If you're late then you better get going."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Shalimar nodded.

"Okay," he said as he kissed her on the forehead. "The team is off on some assignments so if you need anything you can give one of them a call. If it's an emergency, call me. I'll see you later tonight." Adam dashed off and Shalimar made her way back to her room.

* * *

Shalimar read through all of the magazines she had in her room and she wasn't about to turn the TV on again, seeing as all she was going to do was channel surf.

She glanced over towards her dresser and saw the keys to her bike. Half her mind was telling her to grab the keys and go for a quick ride while the other half was telling her to not even think about it.

Looking away from the keys, she thought about it. Then she got up from the bed and grabbed them.

_"No one will ever know I'm gone. I'll be back before any of them get back,"_ she said to herself as she walked to the garage area. 

She was excited to see her bike and immediately climbed on. She favored her side a bit, as it was still really sore and not fully healed by any means.

After putting on her helmet she started the bike, listening to the sweet sound of the engine. Then she peeled away.

She cruised along the streets with ease and welcomed the freedom of being on the bike.

She stopped for some coffee at a local coffee shop. Leaning against her bike she savored the flavor of her favorite flavor, mocha mint.

After she had finished she got back onto the bike and drove away.

She came upon a red light and came to a stop. Checking her watch, she realized that she better head back to the sanctuary or else she was going to catch hell from at least somebody.

The light soon turned green and she started to go but didn't get very far when she suddenly felt the front tire pop and begin to go flat. "Shit! I don't believe this," she swore as she pulled over and got off the bike to inspect the damaged tire.

She slowly knelt down by the tire, contorting her face in pain as the movement angered the healing wound in her stomach. Scanning the tire she found the source of the leak...a dart from a blow gun. 

Just as she turned to look around the area she heard a van screech to a halt near her. She attempted to get up but the ache in her side prevented her from being quick.

The van door slid open and two men lunged out towards her. She kicked out towards them, hitting one of them in the face, sending him backwards against the van. The other grabbed her arm but she twisted around and twisted his arm, snapping it.

She doubled over as the pain flared up in her stomach and then she saw the man she'd kicked coming at her again. She brought her arms up in front of her to block his punches but she wasn't fast enough to block the fist that came at her stomach. It felt like she'd been hit by a freight train. She doubled over again and backed into her bike, knocking it over as she fell on top of it.

The men grabbed her roughly and threw her into the van, sliding the door shut behind them as they got in. The van flew down the street and disappeared.

"We've got her," the driver said into a headset he wore.

"Excellent. What's your E.T.A.?" a man's voice said.

"About fifteen minutes."

"I'll have everything ready when you arrive."

The driver looked in the rearview mirror to see what was going on in the back, as he heard a struggle. "What's going on back there?"

The men did their best to keep Shalimar still but she was putting up one hell of a fight. "The bitch won't stay still," the man with the broken arm said.

"Well, _make her_ sit still," the driver replied.

In one quick movement, the man with the broken arm drew his good arm back and then let it fly towards Shalimar's face, knocking her out instantly. She fell limply to the floor of the van and the man spit at her, "Take that you crazy bitch. And don't think I won't get you back for breaking my damn arm." He kicked her and then sat down on one of the bucket seats towards the front.


	2. Chapter II

Brennan, Jesse and Emma arrived back at the sanctuary and immediately noticed that Shalimar's bike was gone. "What the hell does she think she's doing?" Brennan said angrily.

Jesse put the SUV in reverse and they headed out to look for her.

"Adam is going to kill her," Emma said as she nibbled at her fingernail.

"Not unless I do first," Brennan said as he looked around the streets for her.

They turned down Washington Street and were only about half way down when they all noticed Shalimar's bike tipped over on the side of the road.

The SUV had barely come to a stop when Brennan jumped out of it. He knelt down beside it and saw the flat tire and the dart lying on the ground next to it. Then he saw blood on the paint of the bike. It stood out on the yellow paint.

"Oh my God!" Emma gasped as she saw the blood.

"We gutta find her fast," Jesse said.

"Yeah, no shit," Brennan said as he got up.

"Hey! Hey!" a voice called to them.

They turned around and saw a street person coming over to them.

"You looking for your friend? The cute blonde?"

Brennan's eyes grew wide with hope. "Did you see what happened? Where did she go?"

The man squinted and then put out his hand, indicating that he wanted to be paid for his information.

Brennan reached into his pocket and pulled out a fifty dollar bill, handing it to the man.

The man tucked it into his jacket pocket, "Now that we've gotten the business end of our conversation out of the way, I was over there by that dumpster and saw the whole thing. Your friend was checking out her bike and then this van pulled up."

"What color was the van?" Jesse asked.

"Black. All black. Two guys got out and started messing with her. She got them pretty good though," the man laughed. "She could probably kick Tyson's ass any day of the week," he laughed.

"Okay, okay, what happened to her?" Brennan asked him.

"One of them hit her and she fell over onto the bike. Then they put her in the van and drove away."

"Which way?" Brennan asked.

"That way," the man said as he pointed up the street in the direction they were already heading.

"How long ago?" Jesse asked.

The man lifted up his hands, "I ain't got no watch but I'm gonna say about ten minutes ago."

"Thank you!" Brennan said as they all turned to get back into the SUV.

"Hey! Don't you want the license plate number?"

Brennan turned back around, "You even got the plate number?"

The man laughed, "I don't miss anything around here. The police don't do shit so someone's gutta look out for the fine citizens of this city. Especially when they're as hot as your friend there."

The man gave Brennan the plate number and Brennan gave him some more money for his time. Then they all got into the SUV and sped away.

"We should call Adam," Emma said from the backseat.

"Are you nuts?" Jesse yelled.

"Are you? You can't _not_ tell him what's going on!" she yelled back.

"Alright you guys, chill. Look, first let's find her then we'll worry about telling Adam. One thing at a time." Brennan felt his stomach tying itself in a knot. _"Please may we find her soon,"_ he said to himself.

* * *

The van pulled up to the warehouse and stopped. The driver got out and went inside while the two men in the back got out as well. The man with the broken arm was cradling it against his chest as he followed the driver inside. His partner followed behind them, dragging Shalimar by the leg and dragging her inside.

They got to an open area of the warehouse where a two wooden chairs were set up opposite one another. Next to the chairs was a metal table that had a closed suitcase on the top of it.

The man dragging her got her seated in the chair, handcuffing her hands behind her back and then tying a rope around her waist, binding her to the chair.

Her head was slumped forward as she was still unconscious, blood trickled down the side of her face from a small cut.

"Have fun, bitch. I'll see more of you later," the man with the broken arm said to her as his partner dragged him away. They left with the driver, most likely heading to the hospital to fix the man's broken arm.

An armed man entered the room and stood beside Shalimar as another man, in his early seventies, made his way into the room, walking with the aid of a cane. 

He took a seat in the chair facing her and just looked at her for a moment, noting the blood on her shirt by her stomach. Then he nodded towards the big man standing next to her. The big man grabbed her by the hair, raising her head up.

The old man gasped and then smiled when he looked at her face. Then he began shaking his head. "What a shame," he said. He nodded at the big man again.

The man pulled out a stun gun and hit her in the neck with it. A volt of electricity shot through her body causing her to jump and wake up. She looked up and saw the old man sitting in front of her.

"Hello, Shalimar," the old man said.

"How do you know my name," she said as she struggled against her bonds.

"We'll get to that later. But right now I need some information from you." The old man looked at the big man and motioned to the suitcase that was sitting on the table. "Before you tell me that you're not going to tell me anything," the old man watched as the large man opened the suitcase, displaying various tools and weapons, "let me just tell you that you _will _talk."

Shalimar looked over at the contents of the suitcase as she breathed heavily from the pain that was running through her body. "You guessed it, I have nothing to say," she said as she looked back at him.

"We'll see about that," the old man said as he settled back in the chair, placing the cane in front of him and resting his hands on the top of it.


	3. Chapter III

Jesse drove up and down the streets as they searched for the van that drove off with Shalimar. He banged his hands on the wheel, "Dammit! Where is she!"

Emma zoned out for a moment as she flashed on an image of Shalimar being dragged across the ground and then a quick flash of the warehouse sign.

Jesse looked in the rearview mirror and saw her rubbing her temple, "Emma? You okay?"

"I just had a vision of Shalimar. She was being dragged across the ground."

"Could you see where she was?" Brennan asked.

"No. But I did see a picture of a rock."

"A rock?" Jesse asked.

"Yeah. A logo or something."

Brennan shook his head, "That could be anything. Dammit! We're running out of time."

* * *

The old man sat in silence and just looked at Shalimar. Watching her trying to calm her breathing. Watching the painful expression on her face.

"Who do you work for?" the old man asked.

"What?"

"Hmm, I don't recall you being deaf but I'll ask one more time. _Who_ do you work for?"

"I don't work for anyone."

The old man chuckled, "All new mutants work for someone."

"I'm not--"

"Please. I know what you are," the old man said as he cut her off. "You're a feral."

Shalimar shook her head but her face showed a trace of fear.

The old man nodded to the large man who took out a scalpel from the suitcase. 

Shalimar looked at the sharp blade as the light bounced off the metal.

"Jameson here is going to help me prove that you're a feral, seeing as you don't believe that you are." The old man looked at her, stone-faced.

Shalimar felt the panic brewing inside her as Jameson came close to her, holding the scalpel out towards her, smiling evilly as he did so.

The old man motioned towards the blood on her shirt, "I know all about your accident a few weeks ago."

Jameson grabbed her shirt and ripped it with the scalpel, exposing her bleeding wound.

"It was unfortunate that you got shot. But fortunately that brought you to me. You see, Doctor Rainer _thought_ he was going to get four million dollars from me in exchange for you." The old man began to laugh, "What a fool. Although I have to admit, at first I thought he was trying to screw me over by not handing you over. Come to find out, you escaped." The man clapped a few times, "Bravo. The nurse ended up telling me what_ really_ happened. Too bad I had no use for her after our conversation."

Shalimar seethed at him, "You bastard."

The old man motioned to Jameson and Jameson went back to the suitcase, this time taking out a switchblade knife. He put it up to Shalimar's face as he opened it, causing her to flinch as the blade appeared.

"Now, my feral, tell me who you work for. It's a simple question."

Shalimar didn't say a word and glared at the old man.

"Okay, have it your way." The old man looked at Jameson and Jameson began to dig the blade into Shalimar's wound, causing her to cry out in pain. He pushed the blade in further but as he did so she kicked him in the shin. He dropped the knife and clutched his leg, swearing.

The old man hardly reacted and just shook his head.

Jameson was fuming. He wound up and punched Shalimar in the face, bloodying her nose. Then he pushed her chair over so she landed hard on her back, her hands getting jammed between the floor and her body.

She grimaced in pain and spat out the blood that flowed into her mouth.

"That's enough, Jameson."

Jameson picked up Shalimar's chair and set it upright. Her head hung low, blood flowed down her chin and down the front of her shirt. When she looked up at the old man her eyes were yellow.

"Ahhh, there's my little feral," the old man said with a smile.


	4. Chapter IV

The team continued to roam the streets looking for any sign of the van.

Frustrated, Jesse pulled over and put the SUV in park. "We could drive around for days. I think Emma's right, we need to call Adam."

"Wait!" Emma exclaimed. "Look over there!"

They all looked up down the road and saw a sign for the McNulty Gravel Company. On the sign was their logo, a rock.

"Let's go!" Brennan yelled as Jesse had already put the SUV back in drive, flooring it.

* * *

The old man got up from his chair and moved it closer towards Shalimar before sitting it in again. He reached out and put his hand under her bloody chin. She moved it away from him but he grabbed it again. He looked right at her and watched her eyes turn back to brown. "You look so much like your mother."

Shalimar glared at him, "What are you talking about? What do _you_ know about my mother?"

The old man got up from his chair and walked behind her. Bending down, he touched her elbow. "See that scar, you got that playing street hockey with the boys from school when you were eight."

Her eyes grew wide as she watched him get up and return to his seat.

"Who are you?"

"First tell me who you work for. I feel that I've been patient long enough."

"I told you, I don't work for anyone."

The old man stood up and slapped her across the face, then he pulled out a gun and aimed it at her. "Tell me!" he screamed.

"Why do you even care?" she asked as she cringed away from the gun.

"Because I want to know why you killed my son, you mutant freak! I want to know who taught you to be like you are!" He cocked the gun as he continued to aim it at her.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't bullshit me, Shalimar! Two years ago you killed my son, Erik. Don't tell me you don't remember the gun fight at the Italian restaurant downtown."

"That was self defense. He tried to kill me and my boyfriend. I guess he left that part out when he told you about it, didn't he?"

The old man's finger tightened on the trigger as the gun shook in his hand. "You and the people you work for ganged up on him."

"That's a bold-faced fuckin' lie!" she said through gritted teeth.

The old man was just about to pull the trigger when the team's SUV came crashing through the door of the warehouse. Jameson ran over to find out who they were.

While the old man had his head turned in the direction of the commotion, Shalimar gathered up all the strength she had left in her and kicked the gun from his hands. He lunged at her but she kicked him in the gut, sending him to his knees gasping for air.

Jameson fired his gun at the SUV but soon found it empty. Brennan sent an electric bolt towards him and sent him flying across the floor. 

"You okay with him?" Jesse asked.

"Yeah, I can handle this one. You two go help Shalimar."

Emma and Jesse ran over to where the old man and Shalimar were.

The old man grabbed the gun from the floor, turned and fired towards Shalimar. Shalimar braced herself for the impact of the bullet, wherever it was to land, but it didn't happen. She opened her eyes and saw Jesse standing in front of her, acting as a shield. Jesse fought with the old man, trying to get the gun away from him and then gun went off.

Jesse backed away from the old man who fell to the floor, bleeding from a bullet wound in his chest.

Brennan came over and zapped the handcuffs off Shalimar and untied her. She limped over to the old man, kicking the gun away from his grasp. She knelt down beside him, "Who are you?"

The old man struggled for air and smiled at her, "I'm your father."

Shalimar felt like she'd been hit with a ton of bricks. "What? No, you're not. My father's already dead."

The old man took her hand, "You killed your own brother. I'll see you in hell." His head fell back and his eyes rolled up into his head. 

Brennan checked his pulse, "He's...he's dead."

Shalimar got up, clutching her stomach, and began walking towards the SUV. Tears fell from her eyes as she limped along.

Emma ran over to her and put her arm around her and helped her into the car.

* * *

When they all got back to the sanctuary Adam was standing in the garage with his arms folding over his chest and an angry look on his face.

When they helped a bloody Shalimar out of the SUV Adam's facial expression immediately changed to one of shock. "My God, what happened?!?"

Emma helped Shalimar walk until Adam came over and scooped her up into his arms.

He rushed her to the medical area where he tended to her wounds.

"What happened?" he asked her.

Shalimar rolled her eyes, "You'll be mad at me because I decided to go out for a quick bike ride." She looked up at Adam and could see he was mad. "I got a flat and pulled over. The next thing I knew, two goons were on top of me. They threw me in a van and took me to this warehouse." Shalimar began to cry.

Adam stopped dabbing at her cuts for a moment. "Shalimar? What's wrong?"

"I thought my father was dead?"

Adam felt his stomach drop to his feet.

Shalimar looked at Adam's face. "What haven't you told me, Adam!"

Adam took a deep breath and blew it out. "The people that raised you...they weren't really your parents. Your real mother and father gave you up when they realized you were a new mutant."

Shalimar wiped the tears from her eyes. "The man that kidnapped me was my real father. He said I killed my brother a few years ago."

"You didn't kill him. You were only defending yourself and Joey. Your brother and his friends were attacking new mutants. They would have killed _you_!"

Shalimar looked down, "I know. But it doesn't make it any easier to take."

"Listen to me, Shalimar. The two people that raised you raised you as if you were their very own. They loved you with all their hearts. They embraced your abilities and didn't feel embarrassed or offended by them like your real parents did."

"He knew about me. He knew that I have a scar on my elbow. How does he know that?"

"Your adoptive parents kept in touch with your real parents. I think they had hoped that by them sharing parts of your life with them that they'd learn to love you as they had. But unfortunately they didn't. I'm so sorry." Adam gathered her into his arms and hugged her gently as she cried on his shoulder.


End file.
